MAPIT

WALKERWOODS

Residential Investigation
Case No. 26417

Specialists in confidential corporate investigation & research

Our story begins with a team of poachers who had decided to go out into the woods one night for a spot of fun with their high powered air rifles. As they were walking through the dark woods they stopped and could hear something moving in a bush. They were surprised to find that their torches had suddenly decided to not work. One by one the torches went out leaving them in total darkness.

The fear of suddenly being left in darkness and with something moving in the bush ahead was enough for panic to set in. They decided to make a run for it, without really knowing what it was that they had encountered. They stopped several 100 yards later and could hear this thing pursuing them closely behind but just out of sight. They stood silently, holding their breath to hear where the thing was hiding. Suddenly the sound of heavy footsteps in a bush was all they needed to open fire. They all stood there firing everything they had at the bush, like a scene out of the predator movie.

They heard nothing, not even a cry out in pain as the ammo ripped the bush apart. They stopped and listed.... Everything was quiet for about 20 seconds and then, what ever it was started to make its way towards them again. The poachers ran as fast as they could all the way to a clearing near the edge of the woods where a lamp-post lit the surrounding area. They stopped there puffing and panting and feeling a little more secure in the light. Then suddenly, from the darkness came a huge dark figure. It was about seven feet tall and was completely black in colour. It was as if it had no recognisable features. As it took one giant stride forward into the light they noticed something even more unusual. This thing seemed to be absorbing the darkness, as if camouflaged in some way. As you can well imagine the poachers shrieked out and ran for it. At this the large figure just stepped back and disappeared as the darkness enveloped it. They got to their cars and sped off. Needless to say, the poachers never visited the location again.

This area lies next to Walkerwoods reservoir and the woods are small but eerie. We sent a team of investigators up there to have a look around. They parked up next to the reservoir and followed a track to the woods. They were surprised how quiet the area was, in fact strangely quiet. They spent almost three hours at the location but failed to find anything unusual. The evening was drawn to a close when a weather front moved in carrying lightning and a surprisingly a large amount of snow. They quickly descended a hill looking over Manchester and by the time they got to the cars a full blown blizzard had set in. They were all surprised how fast the weather had changed from a beautiful clear night to something that resembled Arctic conditions.

One good thing was that an investigator had brought along some home-made Chili soup. Even though the soup kept you warm and took your breath away for about ten minutes, it was strangely addictive. Though it was not the best of weather they all had enjoyed the outing. A number a days later other interesting facts were learnt. Apparently not so long back, a man was found near the woods holding tightly onto a fence. An ambulance was called when residents noticed he was suffering from shock. The gentleman in question was admitted for some time to a psychiatric department. He apparently refuses to talk about the incident..... ?

There are many tales of apparitions in the area of Gallows Clough. Legend has it that a witch made an agreement with a poacher who was soon to be hung for his crime. She would cut off his hand and in return curse the land owner, which apparently came true. The witch and the hanging corpse of a man are said to be seen occasionally by passes by. Be this true or not, it was certainly an eerie location.

Walkerwoods in nof from the the well known location Cannock Chace where numerous sightings of strange creatures have been reported...